Lesson

Lesson . . .

"Superficial and ignorant?" The young man in blue robes offered a cold smile as his gaze remained fixed on Qin Wentian. It seemed that this Qin Wentian was not as foolish as they had hoped. Despite the humiliation heaped upon him, he remained composed and refrained from reacting angrily. He still possessed the presence of mind to respond with words.

"Princess Qing'er and I hail from the City of Ancient Emperors," Qin Wentian continued calmly as he sipped his wine. All the young men and women in the room stared at him, eager for him to continue.

"In a city brimming with supreme geniuses like the City of Ancient Emperors, the descendants of immortal kings and emperors were countless. Many of them were much like you all, constantly boasting about their identities and statuses," Qin Wentian continued.

"Among the descendants of immortal kings and emperors, there was, of course, no shortage of arrogant individuals who looked down on others. I, Qin Wentian, have encountered my fair share of people like you here. In fact, there are many with even more illustrious identities and statuses," he added, taking another sip of his wine.

"Visiting the City of Ancient Emperors? Is that what you consider a qualification to be here?" someone mocked.

"No, no. I simply want to convey to you all that I've personally witnessed the fates of those haughty individuals and arrogant pricks who swaggered around with their lofty identities. I have seen countless such people meet miserable ends," Qin Wentian said, his gaze sweeping across the room. He slowly raised his wine cup and took another sip. "So, I offer you this sincere advice: do not rely solely on your identities and statuses, and do not flaunt them excessively when you venture out into the world. It's acceptable to do so here, where there are many experts to protect you. But the moment you step beyond the Evergreen Immortal Empire, I'm afraid that..."

At this point, the mocking glint in Qin Wentian's eyes sharpened, and he paused in his speech. Yet, his unspoken message was clear: "I'm afraid you won't even comprehend how you met your demise."

"Are you insulting us?" a young man asked with icy intensity. His hand trembled as he crushed his wine cup, sending wine splattering across the table.

"I, Qin Wentian, lack a lofty status. Why would I dare to do that? I'm simply sharing my observations," Qin Wentian responded calmly, his tone casual. "In the City of Ancient Emperors, even the most renowned descendants of immortal emperors rarely flaunted their identities and statuses. But today, at this banquet hosted by Princess Changping, my horizons have certainly been expanded. Princess and Marquis, if you have the opportunity, please consider advising the other kings and dukes. Suggest to them that it might be best not to send their juniors out into the world for the sake of their safety."

"Oh?" Princess Changping's beautiful eyes turned to Qin Wentian with intrigue.

"It's too dangerous," Qin Wentian continued, his voice low and measured. As his words hung in the air, more wine cups met their end, shattering into fragments. Princess Changping maintained her warm and gentle smile. It seemed that Qin Wentian possessed a maturity of mindset that far exceeded these descendants of kings and marquises. He had a remarkable ability to restrain himself. This was expected from someone who had traversed from a mere particle world to this grand stage. His heart had undoubtedly weathered countless trials, exposing him to numerous instances of humiliation and unwarranted challenges.

On the other hand, these offspring of nobility had grown up being pampered and adored. Their natural talents had only amplified their sense of entitlement. Especially for those who displayed exceptional aptitude, their privileges and adoration were further magnified. Within the empire, who would dare to show them any form of disrespect, let alone verbally humiliate and insult them?

"Brother Qin's inner strength is truly exceptional. I'm genuinely impressed," the young man in the blue robe commented, sporting a faint smile after a moment of silence. "However, since Brother Qin takes such pride in hailing from the City of Ancient Emperors, I wonder if your strength can match your arrogance."

"Let's dispense with the pleasantries," Qin Wentian responded tersely, showing little interest in continued banter.

"Brother Qin, being such an extraordinary individual, our encounter at this banquet has ignited my curiosity. How about a friendly sparring match? I'm sure Brother Qin wouldn't decline such an offer, would you? Princess, may we utilize this location for our contest?" The young man in blue locked his gaze onto Princess Changping, making it clear he wouldn't let Qin Wentian off the hook so easily.

"Qin Wentian is, after all, a guest of my residence. I suggest you seek his opinion on the matter," Princess Changping remarked, shifting her attention to Qin Wentian.

"This is the royal palace. You are all descendants of nobility, while I stand alone. It wouldn't reflect well on me if, after defeating you, you sought aid from your brothers, sisters, parents, uncles, and grandparents, would it?" Qin Wentian replied with a chuckle.

"INSOLENCE!" An individual swiftly slammed his palm onto the wine table, reducing it to a cloud of dust.

"Qin Wentian, you certainly possess a talent for insulting people," remarked the beautiful lady, her voice icy as she fixed her gaze on him. His words were dripping with contempt for them. To declare openly that he would harm them? And worse, to suggest they would seek assistance from their elders to exact revenge?

This audacity was astounding. His words not only predicted their defeat but also insinuated they would resort to shamelessly seeking aid from their elders because they couldn't bear the loss.

"If you can injure us, we'll accept it without involving our elders. But Qin Wentian, imagine if you were to run to Princess Qing'er for help after getting a taste of defeat. Now, that would be truly laughable," countered another individual, his tone dripping with mockery.

"With just you guys?" Qin Wentian burst into laughter. He said nothing more, but his mere expression managed to stoke the ire of every genius in attendance.

"Qin Wentian, you have no respect for anyone," someone spoke coldly.

"Step up and fight," another person's aura surged toward Qin Wentian. Though Qin Wentian could sense that this man possessed reasonable talent, he was still far from being considered a peak-level genius. These individuals seemed to be the run-of-the-mill talents sent by nobility to test him, with the intention of provoking him. Ironically, it was they who found themselves provoked by just a few sentences from him.

"Even if you're a guest of the princess, I feel compelled to teach you a lesson for your impudence," declared a black-robed young man, rising to his feet and locking a cold gaze onto Qin Wentian.

"Princess, Marquis, my apologies for causing any trouble," Qin Wentian offered a courteous apology, directing his gaze toward Princess Changping and the Scarlet Eye King.

"No need to worry. You're all juniors, after all. Since they wish to spar with you, go ahead and indulge them," Princess Changping replied with a smile. She then transmitted her thoughts directly to Qin Wentian, "They're here to test you, not with any ill intentions. Feel free to teach them a lesson, but try not to harm them too seriously."

Qin Wentian nodded, conveying his understanding. After all, they were in the royal palace of the Evergreen Immortal Empire, and he had no intention of going overboard or making things difficult for Qing'er. If these individuals were so eager to challenge him, he would provide them with a modest lesson.

Standing up, Qin Wentian moved to an open space adjacent to the banquet area. He stood there calmly, fixing his gaze upon the descendants of nobility. "You may all come at me together."

"Arrogant."

"This guy's arrogance knows no bounds."

"I'll handle this." A young man clad in black stepped forward, surrounded by crackling black lightning that hinted at a destructive power within. Observing Qin Wentian's unwavering stance, he rushed forward with a thunderous roar, causing the ground to tremble as he unleashed a ferociously powerful punch aimed directly at Qin Wentian.

Qin Wentian was enveloped in shimmering runic light, and his aura suddenly expanded, becoming as vast and unshakable as a colossal mountain or an endless ocean.

"Do you seek death?" The black-robed young man's fist bore down like a thunderbolt, generating explosive waves of lightning and thunder that rippled outward, converging on Qin Wentian. In response, Qin Wentian calmly raised his palm, pushing it forward. In the presence of that palm, the black-robed young man suddenly felt minuscule and inconsequential. The palm radiated a supreme, overwhelming power that directly nullified the oncoming fist.

—BOOM!— An earth-shattering noise reverberated as the black-robed young man was slammed forcefully into the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood, his body wracked with agony. Lifting his head, he shot an icy glare at Qin Wentian.

In a single strike, Qin Wentian had completely subdued him. That palm seemed to contain an indomitable force capable of shattering mountains and rending the heavens, leaving him utterly defenseless.

The expressions of the others froze, their eyes wide with astonishment as they gazed at Qin Wentian. Such power transcended their wildest imagination. While they were also combat-savvy geniuses, could they withstand a palm strike like that?

"It appears my earlier words hold true. Beyond your titles and social standing, your abilities are sorely lacking," Qin Wentian taunted. "I did suggest that you attack me collectively. Facing me one by one will merely result in each of you being slapped into submission with a single blow."

"Unbelievably audacious, you..."

"Since Brother Qin possesses such exceptional combat prowess, we won't hold back," chimed in the blue-robed young man. He understood that without a unified effort, they stood no chance against Qin Wentian. In the pursuit of victory, they were willing to sacrifice a bit of their pride by teaming up.

"No need for such courtesy. If you're too polite, I might hesitate to even harm any of you," Qin Wentian replied with a smile. From the beginning until now, he remained composed and nonchalant.

The group's anger flared. Each of them summoned their constellations, enhancing their strength with resplendent astral light that painted a dazzling tableau in the space around them.

"Attack!" commanded the blue-robed young man, and simultaneously, everyone launched their assaults. A brilliant saber cleaved through the void, seeking to cut everything in its path. Sword qi formed a swirling vortex crackling with lightning, capable of slicing through anything. Powerful demons materialized, their roars shaking the heavens as they hungered to devour Qin Wentian whole.

In an instant, the atmosphere transformed as destructive forces surged toward Qin Wentian from all directions. There was no way for him to evade this onslaught.

"Has he bitten off more than he can chew?" the Scarlet Eye Marquis muttered with a hint of concern. Despite Qin Wentian's strength, these opponents were not to be underestimated; they were all gifted geniuses.

"He managed to come here from a particle world; he can't be ordinary. I suspect these descendants are being used as scouts to assess the situation, while the shrewder ones watch from the shadows," Princess Changping remarked with unwavering confidence in Qin Wentian.

As the attacks converged on Qin Wentian, the runic light surrounding him blazed even brighter. An overwhelming force of suppression emanated from him, accompanied by a formidable surge of demonic power. He raised his hand, and a faint silhouette of a greater demon emerged from his bloodline's protective ability, towering into the sky. A golden divine presence materialized behind him, projecting a pressure field that immediately shattered the attacks from the other geniuses.

"Is this the extent of your strength?" Qin Wentian smiled coldly. His palm thrust forward, releasing countless terrifying manifestations of Great Rocs that shot like lightning and struck the geniuses. In an instant, they were all sent crashing to the ground. Some of the weaker ones coughed up blood, their faces drained of color.

"Unable to withstand a single blow," Qin Wentian remarked, flicking his sleeves and walking away with his hands behind his back. The expressions of the noble descendants were grim as they turned to Princess Changping. "Princess and Marquis, we juniors bid our farewell here."

With that, they swiftly departed, too embarrassed to stay any longer.